


Striving For Better

by DefaltManifesto



Series: 30 Day Song Lyric Challenge [6]
Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Soen no Kiseki/Akatsuki no Megami | Fire Emblem Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn
Genre: Grief/Mourning, Kissing, M/M, Path of Radiance Spoilers, Training
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-07
Updated: 2017-12-07
Packaged: 2019-02-11 13:35:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12936375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DefaltManifesto/pseuds/DefaltManifesto
Summary: Stefan teaches Ike how to be a better swordsman, and they find something else too.





	Striving For Better

**Author's Note:**

> This one is based on the following lyric from Meet Me In The Hallway by Harry Styles per the prompt list given to me: 
> 
> "I gotta get better, gotta get better"
> 
> I was just thinking. Basically it's canon that Stefan teaches Ike Aether so...we should talk about that more.

“Again.”

Ike wants to scream. His muscles already are, protesting his effort to push himself upright and face Stefan again. The sword master had joined their company four days ago, and in those four days he had drilled Ike mercilessly in his training with a smile on his face. Perhaps he’d grown complacent during their months at sea. He honestly can’t remember the last time he felt so inadequate but Stefan’s skill is hard to match.

He gets to his feet and forces his arms into submission as he gets into the proper stance with the practice sword. Stefan hasn’t broken a sweat.            

“Good,” Stefan says. “That’s enough for today. I’m impressed by your determination.”

“I don’t know when I’ll come up against the Black Knight again,” Ike says. “And right now you’re the only one who can make me better. It’d be foolish to waste time just because I’m tired.”

“There’s a difference between pushing yourself to grow and pushing yourself to exhaustion,” Stefan says. “You got back on your feet when I didn’t expect you to. That’s enough for today.”

Ike lets his arms go limp. “Thank the Goddess.”

When he looks up again, he realizes the courtyard they’ve been training in is ringed with Begnion onlookers. All at once, he wants to curl up and hide. He hates these damned nobles and their oppressive empire.

“As do I,” Stefan says as he approaches him. “Don’t wear your hatred so plainly on your face.”

“Sorry,” Ike says.

Stefan smiles. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

 

-.-

 

The next day, they practice in Ike’s quarters because instead of sparring, it’s mental training.    

“I’m not a mage though,” Ike says as he sits cross legged on the floor.

“Neither am I, and neither is Oscar but he uses his inherent magic plenty on the battlefield,” Stefan says. “Every person has an energy they can draw on and use, mages just have more of it. However, if we train, we can use it as well to compliment or bolster our fighting.”

Ike nods. “So when Oscar is able to heal his wounds sometimes when he kills an enemy, he’s drawing on that power.”

“Exactly. He uses a small amount of power to drain what remaining power his enemy has. Now, he can’t do it often but it’s possible for him to activate this ability under duress. Nephenee, as I’m sure you noticed, is especially adept at this.”

“Whenever she’s hurt, she seems to get stronger,” Ike says.

“And we’re going to teach you to do something similar.”

“And this can give me the edge I need against the Black Knight?”

“Hopefully,” Stefan says.

“Why are you so interested in helping me?” Ike asks.

Stefan looks surprised, as though he hadn’t considered the why of it either. “I suppose because you aren’t like most Beorc or Laguz. You see me.”

Ike has a feeling he’s missing something. He never had understood the finer points of Laguz and Beorc relations, but this seems like more than even that. “Of course I see you. Do other people not?”

Stefan laughs and smiles. “Oh Ike. Don’t change.”

Ike frowns. He’s definitely missing something.

 

-.-

 

“I know what you meant now,” Ike says as he enters Stefan’s tent.

Stefan doesn’t pause in his sharpening of his blade. “Oh?”

Ike is tired from the slog of the battle that had been taking Daein’s capital so he cuts to the chase even quicker than normal. “You’re Branded. The Laguz ignore you and the Beorc despise you.”

“So your little mage let you in on the secret, hm?” Stefan says, uncrossing his legs and setting the sword beside him on the cot.

“It’s stupid,” Ike says. “You’re both great people and your parents shouldn’t matter. Who cares if a Laguz or Beorc were together?”

Stefan stands and approaches him, an unreadable look in his eye. “You’re very naïve Ike, but that’s what I like most about you. Like I said you see me for what I am. You can’t change the world though. Simply acknowledging Soren and I is more than we could have hoped for, believe me.”

That doesn’t sit right with Ike, and it must show on his face because Stefan gives him another one of his odd smiles.

“I’m going to make the world a better place for you,” he says, unable to help the stubborn note in his voice.

Stefan sighs. “If anyone can, it’s you.”

 

-.-

 

Ike collapses on the ground, cursing the pain that shoots up his knee when he does so. Behind him, the practice dummy continues to burn from where his power had set it afire when he’d cut it with his sword.

“I did it,” he says.

“Yes you did,” Stefan says. “And not a day too soon. We enter Crimea tomorrow.”

Ike groans but forces himself upright. He turns and watches the dummy fold in on itself as it turns to ash. “Now I’ve just got to do it reliably…”

Stefan appears at his side, catching him easily when he staggers. “Remember what I said. Push yourself to grow, not to the point of exhaustion.”

Ike passes out.

           

-.-

 

When Ike wakes up, it’s with Stefan frowning down at him.

“Where am I?” he asks.

"I brought you back to my tent before anyone saw their general passed out,” Stefan says. “You really need to stop over-exerting yourself.”

“It’s a war, I can’t afford not to,” Ike says, pushing himself upright.

Stefan shoves him back down. “You’re doing more than enough. Rest.”

Ike drops his head back in Stefan’s lap. “I’m too tired to object.”

Stefan brushes his hair back from his head and then presses a light kiss to his forehead. “Good.

Ike falls asleep wondering what it would be like to be kissed on his lips instead.

 

-.-

 

The night Ike puts the Black Knight in the ground, he finds himself dealing with something he hasn’t felt in a year or more; panic. They’re okay, they’re alive, and they’re on the doorstep of Crimea’s capital. And yet he feels more untethered than ever before. He’s spent the better part of the year fixated on getting his revenge and he has it now.

He doesn’t realize where his feet have carried him until Stefan calls out his name.

“Are you alright?” Stefan asks, moving to sit on the edge of his cot.

“I don’t know,” Ike says. “I just…I feel lost.”

“We all do after accomplishing a goal, especially one like what you did today,” Stefan says, standing up and taking hold of Ike’s hand and guiding him closer.

Ike falls into his arms, emotions surging up fast within him and embarrassingly, he starts to cry. Stefan makes a soothing noise and tightens his grip.

"My father…” Ike chokes out. “I miss him…”

“You’ve avenged him,” Stefan says. “You can let him go now.”

Ike clings to him and weeps. He hadn’t even realized he’d been holding onto his grief for so long. By the time he’s done, he feels like the weight in his chest and stomach that had been there for so long is gone. Stefan smiles down at him, brushing his hair back as always.

“Better?”

Ike nods, then summons his remaining courage and presses his lips to Stefan’s, just for a moment. “Thank you…”


End file.
